Sony has a habit of filing patents for all sorts of potential products that may or may not see the light of day. However, a recently published patent for a tablet-esque PlayStation controller has raised a few eyebrows, and not just because of its suspiciously familiar name.

The "PlayStation EyePad" is the latest development in the series of "Eye" accessories like the PlayStation Eye and the EyeToy before it. The hypothetical controller is dominated by a large flat surface in the center, which could be a number of things: a display screen, a touchscreen, or a Vita-style touchpad (it doesn't appear to be set in stone). Flanking the main screen are the classic PlayStation controls, including a D-pad and four buttons, though the EyePad has only one analog stick.

What sets the EyePad apart is its grab-bag of miscellaneous features. The corners of the main screen contain paired stereoscopic cameras. This means that an object placed in the middle of the controller could be scanned from all angles, allowing anything that fits in the space to be rendered as a full three-dimensional model in a game. The system also makes it possible to use the cameras to scan players' faces, so you can make your in-game character's face match your own real-life mug.

In addition, four glowing LED strips are embedded in the sides of the rectangular controller, which allow it to be recognized by the PlayStation Eye for motion-tracking. This could allow the EyePad to be used as a substitute for a PlayStation Move controller, though the device itself is very different in shape and size from the traditional Move wand.

It's worth noting that this patent doesn't guarantee that the EyePad will ever make it past the prototype stage. If it does end up hitting shelves, though, be prepared to look for it under a different name. The "PlayStation EyePad" seems to be a working title, and Sony probably knows better than to step on Apple's toes with misleading homonyms - it wouldn't be the first time the lawyers at Apple have gone after similarly-named products.

If it ever sees the light of day then hopefully it remains as optional as the eyetoy and playstation eye were, as opposed to Nintendo and probably Microsoft packaging their gimmicky rubbish as standard.

Oh boy, time to throw Apple and Sony into the ring and watch their hordes of lawyers wrestle it out for the title of World Champion Patent Trolls. Funny thing is, Sony might have a case because unless I'm mistaken, the "EyeToy" came around long before the "iAnything."

I really hope they're aware of the shit storm they're about to summon upon themselves. Even with previous use of the "Eye[insert product]" name the phonetics of it alone are enough to be considered reasonably confusing in a court of law.(remember, the general public is considered very stupid in the court of law

I really hope they're aware of the shit storm they're about to summon upon themselves. Even with previous use of the "Eye[insert product]" name the phonetics of it alone are enough to be considered reasonably confusing in a court of law.(remember, the general public is considered very stupid in the court of law

Apple sued Samsung for pinch to zoom. They are patent whores in every meaning of the word. This time, they would have at least a reason.

Anyway, as gimmicky as it sounds that 3D rendering concept actually sounds pretty cool to me. I honestly can't think of many uses for it, but it's cool nonetheless. And what a troll of a name. Surely there are better words than 'pad' that could describe this... er, tile? The EyeTile - it has a nice ring to it.

It looks like a more expensive and less good PSP, chock full of state-of-the-art useless gimmicky technology. They should have thrown in a GPS function, FM radio and microwave on that thing. At least the microwave would be useful for making mid-game snacks, the GPS would let you know if you've been kidnapped and the FM radio would keep away the Amish.

Evil Smurf:Yep, Apple probably have all their lawyer guns pointed at sony as we speak. I hope it goes better for them then the eye toy.

VanQQisH:Oh boy, time to throw Apple and Sony into the ring and watch their hordes of lawyers wrestle it out for the title of World Champion Patent Trolls. Funny thing is, Sony might have a case because unless I'm mistaken, the "EyeToy" came around long before the "iAnything."

Haha, these are my same thoughts the second I saw what they called it. I mean, that is blatantly trying to rip off the identity of the Apple counterpart.

On that note: I love how everyone talks shit about Nintendo in regards to this (company wise, individual opinions not withstanding) and then they just steal their ideas. At least with Kinnect, MS took it to the next level, albeit with the shittiest version of motion controls one can imagine. Now everyone is talking about tablet controllers. I think, as gamers, we just want good games. We don't need two screen or the ability flail around to accomplish something.

Seriously though, this is a terrible idea. Sony, stop trying to appropriate ideas from Nintendo. No one in your audience wants these things, they're a waste of time and money. The Move was stupid and this is even more stupid.

It took almost a week to get this news on the Escapist, but at least they got the part about the name being a placeholder and not a guaranteed named.

Genocidicles:If it ever sees the light of day then hopefully it remains as optional as the eyetoy and playstation eye were, as opposed to Nintendo and probably Microsoft packaging their gimmicky rubbish as standard.

Kinect v2pointoh might be integrated, but it's unlikely to be mandatory.

VanQQisH:Oh boy, time to throw Apple and Sony into the ring and watch their hordes of lawyers wrestle it out for the title of World Champion Patent Trolls. Funny thing is, Sony might have a case because unless I'm mistaken, the "EyeToy" came around long before the "iAnything."

That would be irrelevant, however, as the ibranding would be more likely to win. Of course, this depends entirely on them releasing it as the "Eyepad," which is not an official name. Which also depends on them releasing it. Sony's patented a lot of products to never see the light of day.

However, the patent lawyer battle would be EPIC, were it to happen. I would have popcorn in one hand and a vuvuzela in the other.

Major_Tom:Useless gimmick Sony, but you get bonus points for trolling Apple.

I do wonder if the name used is a troll attempt, just for shits and giggles.

trty00:Sony... why u do dis? I tend to defend you from the people that say you're ripoff artists (Playstation All Stars is not a clone damn it), but den u do dis?

Why u do dis?

They haven't really done anything yet. This is a patent on potential hardware that, incidentally, appears to build on prior Sony patents in the first place. I'm not sure what you're specifically talking about, but the name is not a given and the idea for the hardware possibly predates any Wii application, so it's hardly revolutionary. Keep in mind, this is a European patent specifically. I don't know much about the European patent process, so it's quite possible this filing is specifically necessary in Europe for things already covered in Japan and/or the USA. The hardware itself isn't even specific, either; the actual patent application says what MAY be included. The configuration is not set in stone.

No, nothing is set in stone; yes, I may be jumping to a conclusion, but it's not an unreasonable conclusion to jump to. I'm just pointing out the fact that, by my estimation, this looks like a ripoff of several other similar devices (iPad, WiiU controller, etc.). No need to be so exacting.

VanQQisH:Oh boy, time to throw Apple and Sony into the ring and watch their hordes of lawyers wrestle it out for the title of World Champion Patent Trolls. Funny thing is, Sony might have a case because unless I'm mistaken, the "EyeToy" came around long before the "iAnything."

The first generation iMac was made in 1998, whereas the EyeToy came out in.. 2003?

I actually want the Apple team to win this one. This is such an obvious troll name. iPad and eyePad, c'mon now.

No, nothing is set in stone; yes, I may be jumping to a conclusion, but it's not an unreasonable conclusion to jump to. I'm just pointing out the fact that, by my estimation, this looks like a ripoff of several other similar devices (iPad, WiiU controller, etc.). No need to be so exacting.

None of which were exactly original devices, so it's weird to call it "ripping off" in the first place. This is part of the reason it seems necessary to be so "exacting." To make sure you understand that such statements are not only weird, but out of place and not exactly grounded.

They have to know Apple will sue them over this nonsense. Which suggests that they are very confident they can win.

You guys do understand there's nothing to sue over, right? It's not a trademarked name, it's just a name given as a placeholder in the patent documents. They may have kicked it around the office as a joke or whatever, but there isn't even a product to sell yet, let alone an intellectual property dispute because it hasn't really been named yet.

And Nintendo ran after the mainstream market. Hell, it's not unreasonable to eliminate the "Nintendo" step here and just accuse Sony of going the way the market already appeared to be going. And at that point, complaining is really ridiculous. It's akin to complaining that the last generation of consoles used controllers. I mean, how dare they "rip off" everyone on the market!

The fact is, there has always been a certain amount of similarity between devices and always will be. There's a reason that most controllers look similar, for example, at least in terms of basic layout. I don't get why suddenly, so many people are obsessed with reinventing the wheel, to the point people will go after a company for copying something another company didn't invent.

I mean, by the logic that seems to go around here, the iPad is one of the greatest ripoffs of all times. Apple did what it's done for the last couple of decades and took someone else's idea and made it shinier. Yet we see the Slate, from guys who brought us tablets a decade before the iPad, and ZOMG COPYING APPUL.

Hell, I owned an MP3 player that existed before the iPod, and people referred to it as an iPod "clone." I sort of wish they had cloned the ergonomics when they went into the future and ripped Apple's 'to be released in a year or two' idea. I think my second Mp3 player also beat Apple to the market. I seem to recall that Archos was the first to the market with an HDD-based MP3 device, and they were accused of ripping off Apple, too.

Nintendo took the existing idea of touchscreen gaming and offered it up in the DS. That's great, but hardly a new thing. They took the Philips CD-i, gave it a gyroscope, and created the Wii (simplistic statement, but it should get the point across). Again, cool but hardly a new idea (even for consoles, this time). Tablet applications for big-screen use? Again, not really all that novel. Cool, but not so much an idea that's the sole domain of Nintendo.

At this point, due to the success of mobile gaming on smart phones and tablets, the entire gaming industry is going to be looking into this. And like it or not (I don't, for the most part), they probably SHOULD.

And Nintendo ran after the mainstream market. Hell, it's not unreasonable to eliminate the "Nintendo" step here and just accuse Sony of going the way the market already appeared to be going. And at that point, complaining is really ridiculous. It's akin to complaining that the last generation of consoles used controllers. I mean, how dare they "rip off" everyone on the market!

I know, right?also I'm playing some game with my Logitech dual shock controller on pc right now, which is TOTALLY IRRELEVANT that I'm complaining about ripped off designs : D(seriously though, I think the dual shock concept is the best controller design I've ever seen. the weird Gamecube and Xbox stick asymmetry is annoying as hell.)

This "prototype" looks exactly like the Wii U pad which, I personally think that it is the dumbest idea ever. Why would you even own a T.V. if you could do all of the game and stuff on this pad alone?

This just doesn't seem like a smart move on Sony's part to me. Not to mention the impending lawsuit from our sue-happy friends at Apple, the "Eye-Pad" seems like a cool idea until you play with it, then it seems like a massive paper-weight when you can't play with it effectively.

VanQQisH:Oh boy, time to throw Apple and Sony into the ring and watch their hordes of lawyers wrestle it out for the title of World Champion Patent Trolls. Funny thing is, Sony might have a case because unless I'm mistaken, the "EyeToy" came around long before the "iAnything."

The first generation iMac was made in 1998, whereas the EyeToy came out in.. 2003?

I actually want the Apple team to win this one. This is such an obvious troll name. iPad and eyePad, c'mon now.